Element a Father Should Have in a Divorce Agreement

A divorce agreement or divorce settlement agreement must spell out everything about your divorce. This means the divorce agreement has to explain how finances will be divided, who- if anyone- will have to pay alimony, who is responsible for debts, and any other provisions about a couple's finances. If a couple has children, the divorce agreement must also dictate who will have custody of the children, who will support the children, and other aspects of the child's care. If you are a father who is getting a divorce, you will want to ensure you protect your financial rights as well as the rights to your kids.

Divorce Agreement

If you are getting a divorce, then the divorce settlement agreement must contain everything you need to protect you legally. When it comes to your children, this means the divorce agreement should spell out:

What, if any, child support must be paid and which parent must pay it
When the child support must be paid- monthly? weekly? You will need to ensure that if you are obligated to make payments, you do so on time.
How long the child support must be paid for... do you have to pay until the child is 18, or until the child graduates from college?
What the child support can be used for
Visitation and custody rights to the child for each parent
Rules about access to the child's medical records, legal records and educational records
Details about insurance for the child, who will pay, and if the child should be covered by one particular parent's policy or another.

If you and your spouse can come to an amicable custody agreement together, then the court will review it and sign off on it as long as it is reasonable or fair. If you cannot come to an agreement, then the court will look at the child's best interests and create a custody agreement for you. If the court creates an agreement, you are bound to abide by its rules in regards to both child support and visitation. The court aims to be fair and provide access to both parents when possible.

Getting Help

Other elements of the divorce agreement should deal with finances, joint debts and alimony. Because there are a vast number of issues that may need to be decided in a divorce, you should consult with an experienced family law or custody attorney who can help you to ensure that an agreement contains all pertinent information and that any agreement you come to fully protects your legal rights.

Thinking About Divorce?